Haruo Nakajima (1929-2017)

He was in ‘Seven Samurai’ at first, until he became the original Godzilla. In many kaiju movies as a Japanese actor for 24 years, he showed on how Godzilla really is. And how he defended Tokyo from other kaiju’s. Such as Mothra, Rodan, King Kong, King Ghidorah, Hedorah and Gigan.

When he was not Godzilla, he was also Rodan, King Kong, and Mothra. That made him spectacular. Born in Yamagata, Japan in 1929 on New Years Day, he really wanted to show the world on what he really is. And that is for what he did in the early 1950’s.

Starting off in ‘Gojira’ or ‘Godzilla’ in 1954, he wore that outfit in which was waterproof. It suited for him nicely. And when they did the attacks that he did as Godzilla, they were able to do some model sets. The buildings, the vehicles, the subway train in his hand and more.

Soon after that, he got into more Godzilla movies. But what was a shockingly surprise, is that he was in “Ultraman” and “Ultra-Seven” as five kaiju’s. The first two original Japanese TV shows that were showing on Ultraman and the Ultra Brothers. In which that makes me very surprised.

And here, these are the Godzilla movies he was into, right after the ‘Seven Samurai’:

Godzilla (or Gojira in 1954, the original)

Godzilla Raids Again- (1955)

Rodan- (1956)

Mothra- (1961)

King Kong VS Godzilla- (1962)

Mothra VS Godzilla- (1964)

Ghidorah, the Three Headed Monster- (1964)

Invasion of the Astro-Monster- (1965)

Godzilla VS the Sea Monster- (1966)

Son of Godzilla- (1967)

King Kong Escapes- (1967)

Destroy All Monsters- (1968)

All Monsters Attack- (1969)

Godzilla VS Hedorah- (1971)

Godzilla VS Gigan- (1972)

He stopped basically around 1975 in Japan, when things changed on the ‘Godzilla’ movies. But I am proud for what he did really.

Throughout the rest of his days, he paid a few visits to the U.S. At Japanese monster-themed conventions. Until his last visit in April of 2011, he was at Monsterpalooza right after he finished writing his autobiographies. A monster themed convention in Burbank, California, USA.

After his return to Japan, he remained as a retired old man until his death on August 7th, 2017. He was 88 years of age. R.I.P. Haruo Nakajima. You showed the world what Godzilla really is. And how you were splendid on fighting Godzilla’s rivals. Especially Ultra-Seven and Ultraman.